The Islamabad High Court has ordered the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and the Metropolitan Corporation of Islamabad (MCI) to file a comprehensive framework for the humane management of stray dogs by October 9, 2025. The Court warned that failure to do so will result in a stay order against ongoing crackdowns on stray dogs.
This achievement should help ensure stray dogs in Islamabad are managed through scientifically proven, humane methods rather than culling or displacement. The directive requires CDA/MCI to present Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), Terms of Reference (TORs), and protocols for vaccination, registration, licensing, and the implementation of Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Release (TNVR) programs, measures that international experts recognize as the only effective and sustainable way to control rabies and manage stray populations.
The case, Nelofar v. Chief Commissioner ICT, was heard by Hon’ble Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro at the Islamabad High Court. Representing the petitioners, Advocate Altamush Saeed of Environmental and Animal Rights Consultants Pakistan, the country’s first dedicated Animal and Environmental Law Firm and Research Think Tank, submitted additional documents and sought interim relief to stop the CDA’s recent operations.
The litigation challenges the CDA’s handling of the ICT Stray Dog Population Control Policy of 2020, under which the authority is legally bound to establish a detailed management framework. Despite this legal obligation, CDA recently carried out a large-scale crackdown, removing nearly 275 dogs and relocating them to different areas of Islamabad. Experts argue this worsens public safety by displacing animals and raising the risk of dog bites and rabies outbreaks in new localities.
While the Federal Ombudsman had also taken notice of the situation, the CDA failed to inform the Ombudsman that proceedings on the same issue were already pending before the High Court. Justice Soomro, after hearing the submissions, recalled the matter and directed CDA/MCI to comply with their statutory duties without further delay.
Advocate Saeed and his team expressed hope that the Court’s directive will force the authorities to adopt lawful, humane, and effective practices. If implemented, the order would represent a vital victory for both the people and the animals of Islamabad, safeguarding community health while protecting stray dogs from cruelty.